I first started having issues with my overdrive/4th gear a long time ago. I have had numerous solenoid's put in for OD problems. The latest problem was fixed by adjusting/cleaning the governor in the transmission. That cost me $250 and seemed to fix the problem for a while. Now that lovely orange arrow stays lit on my dash about 90% of the time. The car will sometimes shift into OD and sometimes it wont. Most of the time I am flying down the highway at 4,000 rpm's which is not helping my gas mileage. I'm not sure if the problem is the solenoid or the relay switch or something else. I found this on IPD and am wondering if it will fix my problem??
http://www.ipdusa.com/version.asp?st...ID=0&V_ID=2011

I could care less if the arrow is lit or not, I just want the overdrive to work so the engine is not screaming down the highway.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Matt

 

i am having a problem that is almost exactly what you are talking about on my 940gl non turbo but my overdrive arrow light comes on but goes dim, and everything seems to work just fine. have you tried just pressing the button on the shifter that's suppose to turn the overdrive off?? does the arrow stay lit and you are in overdrive all of the time? you might try having someone look at the wiring for the overdrive button on the shifter that could be the case or it very well may be solenoid.. my problem is the circuit board behind the speedo i think that will activate the overdrive but the light goes dim and the overdrive is off but if i pull the e-brake the overdrive turns on....... may suggestion if you cant find any other information is call a volvo dealer in your area, ask if they know any mechanics other then the ones who work at the dealer, usually that works, or at least that's what i did and ended up finding a guy who will work on my car who lives walking distance from my house.

 

Yes, I have tried pushing the button at every possible angle and the arrow still stays lit. Some people have told me to listen for a clicking sound underneath the car when I push the button but I haven't done that yet. The overdrive does not function about 85% of the time. Sometimes when I hit a bump in the road, or I have been driving the car for at least 30 minutes the light will shut off and everything will be normal (sounds like an electrical problem for sure). Most of my trips are a mile or two down the highway so my rpm's are sky high at 65mph. This whole OD thing has been driving me crazy for the past couple years because it has been giving me nothing but problems. Did you check out the part at IPD? Do you think that will solve the problem? I am half temped just to order that and install it to see if it does anything.

Thanks
Matt

 

Hey I have a 1991 940 Turbo. I had the same problem and for some reason i assumed it was the Relay (switch). Mine are located behind the fuses in the center of the dash, but check your owner's manual or Chilton book if you have one. (btw, you should get one. they are really handy for older cars.)

Anyway, I found a picture of the relay layout for my car... (http://www.nuceng.ca/workspace/Volvo...ures/relay.gif) allegedly, this diagram is good for 940's through 1993, so maybe it will be helpful.

So. I took the OD relay out and popped the cover off to find that everything was in working order. BUT! to stop the problem of being stuck in 3rd gear all the time I took some electrical tape and taped the switch. (unfortunately, I don't remember whether I taped it closed or open...) I believe I tried taping it open first, but that made it stay on still; so i had to take everything apart again and tape it closed. After all of my taping and such I have never seen the orange arrow again, and my car has never failed to upshift past 3rd. I did this over a year ago and I am happy with the results.

However... If you plan on towing anything or going over very hilly terrain, I suggest simply buying a working OD relay from a junkyard or a parts store. (because my quick fix unfortunately removes the functionality of the OD lockout button on the shifter.)

 

You need to close the relay to energize the solenoid for OD. Dremel a groove between the ports on the solenoid or buy the expensive bypass plate from IPD for full time OD. http://www.ipdusa.com/version.asp?st...ID=0&V_ID=4410
Ed

 

I ended up just buying the IPD part. It should be here early next week. I will let you know if it fixes my problem and hopefully the car engages into overdrive around 40 mph. Thanks for the help

 

It's a very easy circuit to diagnose, a solenoid, a relay and a switch. A test lamp and 30 minutes will find the problem.....

Regards, Andrew.

 

I am having the same problem with my 1994 940 Turbo and I'm having trouble understanding where the relay actually is, or, more precisely, how to access it. Am I to understand that it is in behind the fusebox (which is uncovered by the ashtray?). Do I need to pull something else off for access? I can see what looks like a relay, but I don't know how you could possibly get to it without taking something else apart/off. Thanks, I'm new around here.

 

There are three rows of relays forward of the fuses. The OD relay is in the second row, on the far right. You can put your fingers on it and feel while you switch the shift switch. If it's working, then the problem lies in the wire or the solenoid.
Ed